Rapid construction of commercial and residential buildings to meet rising demand has made the artisans, popularly known as fundis, one of the most-sought in the sector.
This has pushed their wages up as many property developers need them.
In Nairobi, the unskilled artisans, whose work mainly involves mixing sand and cement and ferrying building materials, are currently demanding a wage of between 8 U.S. dollars and 9.1 dollars a day, up from 3.4 dollars about three years ago.
On the other hand, the skilled workers (masons) who engage in the actual building of the houses are demanding a pay of up to 13 dollars a day, up from about 8 dollars some years back.
Similarly, wages for the foreman or supervisors have gone up significantly, with the workers demanding 17 dollars a day.
The pay of the workers in the capital, however, differs depending on the kind of building one is constructing, materials being used and where the house is situated.
The rising wages have doubled the cost of construction in Kenya, with many property developers having to dig deeper into their pockets, as they also grapple with increased costs of building materials.
“I am currently building a house. The amount of money I have spent on workers’ wages is more than a quarter of what I have used on building the structure,” recounted Media worker John Mutua on Tuesday, who is building the property in Kitengela, Nairobi on quarter acre.
The other day his workers did not report to work only for Mutua to realize they have found a well paying job at another construction site.
“I agreed with the foreman that I shall pay them 6 dollars per day. I was informed that the other developer was paying them 7 dollars. I did not do any work that Saturday. Now I have to look for new workers or match the pay.”
His predicament is shared by other property developers who fail to meet wage demands of artisans as those paying seemingly low wages are being shunned.
“Right now we are working on two construction sites, one in Komarock and the other in Kayole. In Komarock we are building an extension; we put lintel on Monday, and as it dries, we are working on the floor of the building in Kayole,” said Moses Ochieng, a mason.
Ochieng noted that gone are days when property developers would pay low wages.
“No mason is taking less than 6 dollars a day because there is plenty of work around. The buildings being put up in Nairobi are so many that one cannot miss work.”
David Karimi, an NGO worker building a house in Ruai, on the outskirts of Nairobi, noted that construction has become expensive.
“It is a tough situation. If you choose to construct your own house, it is expensive. If you go for mortgage, things are not any better,” he said.
Antony Kuyo, a real estate consultant with Avent Properties in Nairobi, attributes high property prices to the rising cost of labor and materials.
“They have significantly contributed to high property prices. Some developers are now opting to import labor from up country.”
Kenya’s construction sector, estimated to be over 4 billion dollars, is among the fastest growing in Africa, with houses replacing crops in many parts of the country.
